


Follow me into the endless night

by Taliesin_niseilaT



Series: Meet Me In The Woods [5]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: 3x18 “Abra Kadabra”, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 21:46:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10580109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taliesin_niseilaT/pseuds/Taliesin_niseilaT
Summary: Julian slept fitfully, dreaming of Caitlin, his clumsy hands pulling shrapnel from her body. And he dreamt of Barry, always Barry.But then Barry’s arms were tight around him, and Julian wasn’t crying, okay, he was just tired and starved for... something.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from ‘Meet Me In The Woods’ by Lord Huron.

_follow me into the endless night_

 

Julian fell into bed, completely exhausted, every bone in his body aching from being thrown around the room so many times that day. He slept fitfully, dreaming of Caitlin, his clumsy hands pulling shrapnel from her body, her dying, their desperate attempts to resuscitate her. His final, damning action of ripping that necklace off. Maybe she’d hate him for it, but he did it to save her life.

 

And he dreamt of Barry, always Barry.

 

Barry who found him next to the empty hospital bed, asked no questions, pulled Julian into his arms without a second glance. Lately, the only times they talked seemed to be when one or both of them was miserable. Some friendship they’d built. HR had called the rest of the team to inform them of what happened with Caitlin. She had disappeared to god knows where and nobody had the energy to do anything about it, least of all Cisco and Julian. Cisco couldn’t stop crying, had gone home, wanting to be alone. Julian just slumped on the floor hoping to pass out.

 

But then Barry’s arms were tight around him, and Julian wasn’t crying, okay, he was just tired and starved for... something. Human warmth, affection.

‘It’s okay,’ Barry whispered, ‘It’s going to be okay, Julian.’

He shook his head where it was pressed into Barry’s shoulder. ‘You didn’t see her. If we can’t change her back this time, it’s my fault. Whatever Caitlin does next, it’s on me.’

Barry squeezed his hand briefly. ‘It’s not on you. Thinking that way gets you nowhere – trust me, I’ve done it often enough.’

‘We should have taken her to hospital. You could have gotten her there so fast. I shouldn’t have operated on her, what the hell do I know? I fucked up and she _died,_ Barry. And because I couldn’t stand to watch that, I turned her into the thing she hated the most.’

‘You were a hero today,’ Barry said so sincerely Julian didn’t know how to respond to that.

 

Then, all of a sudden, Barry kissed him and Julian, helpless to resist, pulled him closer, flicked his tongue against Barry’s lips for a moment, surprised by the warm welcome he found there.

‘I didn’t know you – felt like this,’ Julian said quietly.

‘Neither did I. Not really. But then Kara and I were trapped in that musical world that was created based on our subconscious. You and me, we were in love in that world.’

‘We were?’

‘Yeah. And it didn’t make sense until I got back here and realised just how often I think about you.’

Julian nodded, threw him a sad little smile. ‘Look, Barry, you broke up with Iris two weeks ago. I don’t wanna be your rebound.’ Barry was quite taken aback at that one. ‘No, that’s not it at all.’ Before Julian knew what was happening, they were kissing again, kissing deeply, pouring all their guilt and pain into the touch of their mouths. ‘Not my rebound,’ Barry whispered, gently pushing against Julian’s shoulders to lay him down on the hard floor, ‘I swear.’

‘Okay,’ Julian said, sliding his hands over Barry’s back, ‘Okay.’

 

It was beyond weird, the two of them tangled up on the floor of the hospital bay where Caitlin died, clinging to each other like they were drowning in hurt. They were both crying, and it was honestly the saddest first kiss Julian had ever had. After an eternity wrapped in each other’s arms, they pulled apart, each of them wiping at their own tears.

 

‘I, um –‘ Barry said.

‘Yeah,’ Julian replied awkwardly.

‘We should... talk. Later.’

‘That’s... yeah, we should.’

Julian and Barry would never admit they were both smiling as they split ways to go home.


End file.
